My Cart 0
    Questions? 1-800-944-4573 1-800-944-4573 Call to Order
    Search

    Product Suggestions

    Menu
    MyBinding Blog > strip-cut shredder

    A Brief Glossary of Paper Shredder Terms

    by Leave a Comment

    GSM128-sm5

    Using a paper shredder has become a necessity in a world that’s plagued by identity theft and under the rule of federal privacy laws. While using the shredders themselves isn’t very difficult, getting used to some of the terminology associated with these machines can be a challenge, especially if you haven’t shredded before. This brief glossary will enable you to get familiar with such terms as “cabinet,” “continuous-duty motor,” and “strip-cut,” so keep reading and get ready to learn more about shredders!

    Automatic oiler. An apparatus that will oil your shredder automatically. These are typically only found on larger units with continuous-duty motors.

    Automatic on/off. Some machines have an automatic on/off feature. This means the device can detect when there’s paper in the throat. It will turn itself on automatically and then shut down after the item has been shredded.

    Bin full indicator. An indicator that will let you know when the waste bin needs to be emptied. This is sometimes referred to as a “bag full indicator.”

    Cabinet. The area of the machine the stores the wastebasket.

    Cardboard shredder. A device that has the ability to shred cardboard.

    Casters. Wheels located on the bottom of a device. Casters make it easier to move a machine around, especially when it weighs a lot.

    Continuous-duty motor. A continuous-duty motor is capable of running non-stop. These motors are frequently found in departmental shredders.

    Cross-cut. A shredding style in which paper is cut two ways. Cross-cut devices offer more security than strip-cut ones because they turn paper into tiny pieces as opposed to strips that can be reassembled.

    Multimedia shredder. A machine that is capable of shredding items other than paper such as CD’s, floppy disks, and other electronic media. Most multimedia units have the ability to shred paper, but some do not.

    Overfeed indicator. A part of the device that either beeps or illuminates when too much paper is inserted. This allows you to remove the excess sheets to prevent a jam from occurring.

    Reverse mode. A feature that makes the paper back out of the machine. This feature is especially handy if you experience a jam.

    Safety features. Attributes of a device that make it safe to use, such as the ability to shut down immediately if hands are too close to the feed opening.

    Security level. The amount of security a machine has to offer. There are six levels of security, with 1 offering the least and 6 offering the most. Machines with a Level 6 rating are usually approved for use by government agencies, the military, and other organizations that deal with highly classified data.

    Shredding capacity. The amount of material a machine can shred at once. Machines with larger shredding capacities are better for bigger offices.

    Strip-cut. This is probably the most common kind of shredder. It will turn a document into countless spaghetti-like strips. It offers less security than the cross-cut style.

    Throat. The area in which you place your documents and/or media for shredding. Throats vary in width. This is also known as a feed opening.

    Waste bin. Also known as a wastebasket, this is where your materials go after they’ve been shredded. Waste bins are sometimes lined with plastic bags so it’s easier to dispose of the shreds.

    Paper Shredders and Your Liability

    by Leave a Comment

    GSM128-sm2

    Whether you manage a school, business, charity, or church, people entrust their personal information to you. They do so believing you will safeguard their information. If your clients, employees, donors, and others believed you were not handling their data properly, they would no longer want to work with you. After all, would you want to do business with someone you knew was not taking reasonable steps to protect you?

    Some industries have a greater burden of information security imposed on them by state and federal regulatory agencies and laws. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that went into effect in 1996 was the first federal legislation enacted to safeguard our health information and records. In 1998, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act went into effect to ensure financial institutions properly protect sensitive data. Another piece of legislation that is not industry specific is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. This legislation requires that affected public companies perform checks on their internal controls and provide data on their effectiveness. Failure to comply with these types of laws can lead to court, fines, and suspension of licenses. Compared to these, the cost of purchasing and maintaining a paper shredder is more than worth it.

    In addition to the legislative implications of improperly managing sensitive information, there is the judicial angle. You and your business definitely do not want to endure the potential nightmare that could result from documents that are not properly disposed of. If your customers’ or employees’ personal data is not protected, then you are not protected. If you fail to take reasonable and prudent steps to safeguard the information entrusted to you, those victimized by your lack of vigilance may sue you and your firm.

    Lawsuits can be costly in more ways than one. Not only must you pay court filing fees and hire attorneys, you will lose productivity at work. You will almost certainly lose customers as word gets out about your failure to protect clients and employees from financial predators and identity thieves.

    The single most important step you can take towards safeguarding information is to invest in a paper shredder and use it regularly. Fortunately, protecting information becomes easier all the time as paper shredders are improved. Paper shredders destroy sensitive documents in a variety of ways. The most common means are through strip cutting and cross cutting. Generally speaking, documents destroyed through cross cutting are more secure simply because they are cut into smaller pieces. These smaller pieces also take up less room in the trash. Cross cut shredders require more maintenance than strip cut machines, and they may cost about ten percent more. The right machine for your office will depend on the volume of paper you will need to shred and the level of security you will require from the equipment. Paper shredders are available in a range of styles, sizes, and prices to serve all sorts of needs. Before buying one, take some time to think about how your firm will use the equipment. Base your decision on your business needs and your responsibility to customers, employees, and donors.